The Ultimate Central New Mexico Roadtrip Is Right Here – And You’ll Want To Do It

Many people fly into Albuquerque then rarely venture beyond the city limits. Sure, there’s plenty to do in Duke City, but to really appreciate New Mexico, you need to head further afield. Don’t worry about figuring out a route, because we’ve done the planning for you. All you have to do is grab some snacks and gas up the car!

This road trip will be part of a series that focuses on the different sections of our expansive state. Some of the stops here venture beyond the technical boundaries of “central” New Mexico, but I’ve described it this way because the route travels around the middle of the state.

The drive time for this loop is 6 hours and 33 minutes and it covers 371 miles of gorgeous New Mexican landscape. You also need to leave time to actually explore these destinations, so that’ll determine how long the trip takes. Personally, I’d allow two days, with one overnight stop, to hit all the highlights without feeling rushed. I’ve included a few optional attractions that you can add on if you want.

This trip begins in Albuquerque and moves east along the route shown. Here is the Google map with detailed driving directions.

This restaurant has been around since 1971 and has a cult following. If you want an early start, Frontier Restaurant is the place to be. Grab a breakfast burrito to give you energy for the trip ahead and perhaps a sweet roll for the ride! (If you haven't already seen this stretch of Central Ave, a.k.a Route 66, you can always detour along it for a few miles before taking I-40 East to start the loop.)

Once you reach the town of Mountainair, it's easy to drive an additional 8.5 miles to Quarai. (Take NM-55 north then make a left onto Co Rd B076).

Three ruins form the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. If this part of history intrigues you or you want to see all three sites, by all means take this detour. Quarai and Abó are somewhat similar, which is why this is optional.

Native American tribes lived in the Salinas Valley for thousands of years and it was one of the most populated areas in the Southwest. Then, during the 17th century, Franciscan missionaries arrived and constructed huge churches in the existing pueblos. Native American women and children were actually the ones to build the mission structures. By the 1670s, everyone abandoned the region due to severe drought.

It’s worth noting that these missions were built more than one hundred years before the California missions.

The church of San Gregorio is the highlight of this ruin. Abó is also the only one of these missions with petroglyphs. (Ask a ranger for directions to them.)

White Oaks boomed when gold was discovered in Baxter Mountain. Once upon a time, this was a party town packed with brothels and saloons. (Before you reach Carrizozo, turn off US-54 onto NM-349/White Oaks Hwy.)

This is arguably the most incredible birding spot in the Southwest. Thousands of waterfowl pause here during migration seasons. But there's plenty of wildlife throughout the year, from bobcats and deer to javelina.

This detour adds 100-miles round trip to the drive, so it's not for everyone. Still, the sight of these 27 massive dishes dominating the sky is unforgettable.
(Stop in Socorro and take US-60 W for 45 miles then make a left on NM-52 S, turn right onto Old Hwy 60.)

Pause at the visitor center to get your bearings and absorb the panoramic views or head straight to Boca Negra Canyon. You can walk right up the park's extensive petroglyphs. This is the easiest place to see multiple petroglyphs in a relatively short amount of time. If you want to explore in greater depth, Piedras Marcadas Canyon and Rinconada Canyon have even more petroglyphs spread out over longer, rougher trails.

End your journey back in central Albuquerque at one of the city's many stellar restaurants. Pasion Latin Fusion (722 Lomas Blvd NW) and Vinaigrette (1828 Central Ave SW) are two of my personal favorites.

That’s all folks! Your road trip is complete. So, what do you think of this route? And which other New Mexican road trips would you like to try?